The British Aviation Group (BAG) is the leading representative body for UK companies involved in the airport and aviation development sector.

Background:

The Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) created in 1993 an Airports Advisory Group, renamed in 1995 the British Airports Group with the aim of winning worthwhile contracts in major airport development overseas. The Department had accumulated "an Association" of over 600 member companies and other organisations. It had concerns of both resource and principle in continuing with this initiative and was happy to consider handing all commercial content of the endeavour to a respected Trade Association. The DTI recognised the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) as the National Trade Association for the aerospace community, and it was agreed that the SBAC should become the National Trade Association for the UK Airports Sector. The move to SBAC took place in November 1998 and the British Airports Group (BAG) officially relaunched in January 1999. During 2007 the BAG Board took the decision to expand the scope of the group to cover the wider aviation sector, which gave the organisation greater credibility in relation to big issues affecting the sector. As a result BAG rebranded from January 2008 as the British Aviation Group.

BAG's membership currently consists of 200 companies of all sizes whose products and services are required in the strategic planning, finance, design, construction, equipping, securing, management and operation of airports and air traffic control systems. BAG's primary role is to help UK companies win business in airport and aviation developments (in the UK and overseas) and to help clients identify UK suppliers of goods and services that will meet their requirements.

Objectives:

• Providing support for UK businesses seeking to export products and services to new markets
• Intelligence reporting of airport and aviation events, statistics and news
• Providing information on aviation and airport tenders and sales opportunities
• Working with UKTI to promote international awareness of British business capability in airports and aviation

UK Trade & Investment Support

BAG is recognised and supported by UK government and works closely with UK Trade and Investment. It is an Accredited Trade Organisation (ATO) and in 2008 BAG secured a four year framework contract to deliver all of UKTI's Airport sector events.